Woman, 60, crashes into Venice's Herman's Market

Sarasota County sheriff's deputies say Nancy Hepburn accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. Around 2 p.m., her car careened into Herman's Market, 701 Shamrock Blvd., damaging the front glass door of the concrete block structure and crashing through a front window.

Deputies cited Hepburn for careless driving.

No one was injured.

Ron Herman, the owner, said he expected the store to be closed through at least Thursday.

Herman and his wife Marilyn opened the popular market and deli in 1980.

The store is a landmark in the Venice Gardens area with a reputation for fresh meats, pies and salads. It is known to especially draw crowds when the Hermans grill hot dogs and sausages outside.

Accidents that occur when a driver punches the accelerator instead of the brake do not always result in just property damage.

Earlier this month, a judge suspended the driver's license of Doreene Landstra of Palmetto, 72, for a year, fined her $1,000 and ordered her to attend traffic school and pass a driving exam after she pleaded not guilty to improper backing.

On Feb. 2, Landstra mistook the gas pedal for the brake and backed her SUV into several people who had also just left a church service in east Bradenton.

Three people died and four were injured.

EARLIER: A 60-year-old Venice woman accidentally drove her car into a butcher shop this afternoon.

Sarasota County sheriff's deputies say Nancy Hepburn accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake. The car careened into Herman's Market, 701 Shamrock Blvd., damaging the front glass door and crashing through a front window.

Deputies cited Hepburn for careless driving.

No one was injured.

Ron Herman, the owner, said he expected the store to be closed through at least Thursday.

He and his wife Marilyn opened the popular shop and deli in 1980.

EARLIER: Herman's Market sustained an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 damage when a driver plowed into the building at around 1:30 p.m. today.

Store owner Ron Herman said the elderly driver crashed into the building at 701 Shamrock Boulevard and the vehicle came to a stop approximately 6 to 8 feet inside the meat market.

No injuries were reported.

Herman said his popular meat market, which has operated for 20 years in Venice, will be closed until Thursday as repairs are made.